The Protector's Husband
by Josephine Rayne
Summary: Veronica gets a vision of the future that she must stop or watch Malone die. Completed!
1. Things Aren’t What They Seem

Show: (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's) The Lost World  
  
By: Josephine Rayne  
  
E-mail: BaSk546840@aol.com  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or show.   
  
Title: The Protector's Husband  
  
Summery: Veronica gets a vision of the future that she must stop or watch Malone die.   
  
Chapter One: Things Aren't What They Seem  
  
[Malone strolled hand in hand with his four year old daughter Abigail as they both combed through the thick jungle. They were on a mission, Veronica needed a certain plant to add to Summerlee's old collection. Not very far from the tree house, Ned decided to bring the small girl on the excursion. He brushed the greengage that stood in the path of the blonde youngster. Suddenly, Malone heard a noise behind them that didn't at all sound like a dinosaur or animal.   
  
"Run or hid?" the curly headed child questioned her brow starting to wrinkle.   
  
"Abby, hid." he whispered as the girl ran toward a nearby bush. At the same time, Malone approached the clearing, getting his weapons ready. Then a bow hit his back causing him to step forward.   
  
"I want the protectors." the stranger said as they continued to fight. The years he spent away from his friends had allowed him to develop his skills. No longer was he so easily knocked out or wounded. Malone's arm extended and with perfect aim his knife went through the leg of his attacker. In agony he reached out and touched his foot, then seemly disappearing as quickly as he arrived.   
  
The older blonde waited a few moments to make sure of his daughter's safety and then called his daughter out from hiding. "It's Ok now, Abby." he soothed as he lifted the frightened child up. "Let's go home, huh?" he smiled as he headed back to the path. It wasn't until moments later that he began to feel the sharp pain in his back. He paced his free hand onto the shirt and felt the warm blood seeping through his clothes. Turning his head around he did not see his attacker, which allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief.   
  
"Go find Mommy." Malone instructed his child, trying to place calmness into his voice. Already he could feel himself fading.   
  
"Are you alright, Daddy?" she said wondering why her father now resided on the ground.  
  
"I'm find sweetheart. Just bring Mama back here." Malone painstakingly counted the minutes that passed as he waited for his wife to return.   
  
"Malone?" she finally questioned running towards her husband, making a note of how much blood now covered the ground. "Who did this?"  
  
"He wanted the protectors. You have to keep you and Abby safe." Malone coughed weakly, then screaming as Veronica began to pull out the knife that lay embedded into his back. Abby terrified hid behind her mother's back. To Veronica, she already knew that her husband was not going to live. It was all to familiar, she remembered her father dying at this very spot not so long ago. Were protector's destined to lose their husbands? Were they destined to lose their fathers?   
  
"I stabbed him in the leg. You can catch up to him. Make sure he doesn't hurt you or Abby." Malone cautioned coughing again weakly. "I love you." he said closing his eyes forever. "Daddy!" Abigail screamed tears streaming down her face.]  
  
Veronica woke up with tears in her eyes. She looked over at her husband checking for signs of life. Reassured that Malone was fine she put on her robe and walked into the common room.   
  
It had been 8 years since the explorers had gotten "lost". Now each one had resided to their fate, they realized that any life they had lived before, had long since went on without them. The world of 1922, now 1930, must of changed beyond their recollection. People, jobs, reputations were now just pages in a history book and more lost to them then they were.   
  
They would never stop looking for a way home, but the constant need to figure out that mystery had subsided.   
  
"Your up early." Challenger spoke from behind her, interrupting Veronica's thoughts. "Are you alright?"  
  
Veronica preceded to tell the gingered haired man, about her horrible dream in which she saw the death of her husband.  
  
"It's just a dream. I'm sure nothing will come of it." he said trying to comforting her.   
  
"It wasn't a dream, Challenger." she spoke firm and serious.  
  
"Perhaps it was just you fear of losing everyone you love?" he shook his head, what she was suggesting was completely absurd.   
  
"This isn't women's intuition. It was a premonition." Her dream was too real, too vivid to be false.  
  
Challenger knew that there would be no way to change Veronica's mind. "Alright, if it was a premonition we can change it."   
  
~*~  
  
A/N: More to come! 


	2. Flashes of an Ugly Future

The Protector's Husband  
  
Chapter Two: Flashes of an Ugly Future  
  
  
  
[ Abigail's little legs came running towards the tree house as Roxton stood from behind the electric wire chopping wood. "Abby?" he asked the girl; picking her up once she came through the fence. "Where's Mummy and Daddy?" his English accent coming through. The small child buried her head in Roxton's chest sobbing.   
  
"Malone's dead." Veronica replied, appearing through the trees and soon coming to where the pair stood. "I'm going after the person who killed him." Her tone was detached and serious, not letting a minuscule of grief or sorrow into her voice.   
  
"I'll come with you. Challenger or Marguerite can watch Thomas and Abby." Roxton spoke, speaking of Malone and Veronica's 8 month old son. "You shouldn't be alone." He didn't tell her that he too wanted to avenge the death of man whom had become a brother to him.   
  
"No, I can't have anyone else die because of me." Veronica replied. "Please just take care of my children, and-" She stopped, letting emotion in for a moment. "Get Ned before the raptors find him."   
  
"Mama?" said the small child struggling out of Roxton's arms. "I want to go with you."  
  
"Stay with Uncle Roxton. I'll be alright, sweetheart. I promise." she said kissing her daughter and then walking away determined not to cry. Abigail did not fail to notice it was the same thing her father had last said to her.]  
  
"Veronica?" she heard someone call distantly as she also felt a light shove on her shoulder. Batting her eyes twice to adjust to the light that filled the room she turned around to see whom had spoken to her. "Why are you in here?" Veronica pulled the blanket off her lab and uncurled her feet in the chair.  
  
"I was talking to Challenger, I must of fallen asleep when he went into his lab."   
  
Malone nodded gently. "Thomas needed a feeding." he spoke while holding a bottle to his son. Veronica stared out into space as her husband conversed. "Are you alright?"   
  
"Just a dream." she replied. "Premo-"  
  
"-I hope someone made breakfast." Marguerite's cheerful voice rang through the treehouse as she stopped and ticked the small infant.   
  
Veronica hesitated, even though she believed her dreams to be true, worrying Malone would accomplish nothing. "I'll take him." she called, kissing Ned and then cuddling the child in her arms. "Will you wake up Abby for breakfast?" Domesticated life suited both of the young blondes. Still, she sighed while rocking Thomas, wishing she could ask her mother for answers. When the storm hit four years before, she had indeed saved the plateau but had no idea how. All she knew was that Finn was gone and so had the storm, with all the explorers back in their original place in the treehouse, including Malone.   
  
"Abigail Avalona Malone. Get up this instant." she heard Malone call distantly. Smiling to herself, she knew that she had to figure out why she was getting these dreams.  
  
*~*  
  
"Marguerite are you ever going to marry me?" Roxton stated as the pair rested at their favorite shore. "Who would have ever thought, Malone and Veronica would tie the knot before us?" He remembered all to well, their off and on again romance. Between that and long periods apart Roxton never thought he'd see those two married with two kids.   
  
"Have a little patience, Lord Roxton." Marguerite's face turned up in a mysterious smile as she edged in for a kiss, the minute his eyes closed she playfully threw sand in his hair.   
  
"Very funny!" John replied chasing her around, until he pulled her to the ground. The dark haired Lord and almost Lady laughing as if they were school children.   
  
"Sorry to interrupt but," George Challenger stated looking over the two, smiling secretly to himself.  
  
"No your not ol' boy. What's the matter?" said Roxton as he helped Marguerite and himself up.  
  
"Oh Malone just had one of his spells," Ever since returning from his solo expedition, he had spells of pain, as if his body was reliving, he's brief but horrific time as a captured slave. Never speaking too much about this time, Malone chose instead to tell vivid stories of a village he encountered that trained him in fighting, and loving nature and his capabilities of surviving alone in the jungle. Still, the ever scientist and friend, Challenger wanted to find a way to stop these convulsions that plagued his young friend ever so often. "But that's not what I came to tell you. There's a storm approaching, I think we should all head back to the treehouse."   
  
When they reached their home, even though rain and winds raged below the treehouse, the Malone family seemed agreeably in their element. Veronica had managed to get all of her family members to stay still enough to draw their portraits.   
  
"Back so soon?" Malone stated as he saw his friends approach from the elevator, after sending his children to play. Challenger began to answer but the huge crack of thunder that shook the household was a loud enough answer for them all. "Veronica!" he yelped as his wife collapsed to the ground as the lights went out. In a bizarre fashion the entire room was engulfed in a blue bubble as if watching a nickelodeon.   
  
i[Veronica crept along the forest floor searching for the murderer. She saw nothing ahead of her but red and grief; nothing was going to stop her from accomplishing her task, Not even the cries of her daughter could turn her away. Too many people she cared for had left her- wait she heard a noise in the brush. Walking towards it she found what she was looking for. Blood tricked down from his leg, and he looked horrifically surprised when he saw Veronica's angry determined look. Confused in her state of mind she didn't even ask why he was hunting for the protectors of the plateau, (namely Abby and Veronica) Malone's sole purpose of telling Veronica to find this stranger. Raging she attacked the murder laying out all her grief with each blow she attacked and attacked until he was within an inch of his life.   
  
"Veronica!" she heard a voice all behind her as time around her stood still. Not a bird or animal moved, the murderer did not continue his labored breathing. "Mother?"  
  
"I have much to tell you... Most of what I will have to say, you will not like, sweetheart." Abigail Layton replied as she embraced her daughter. "Do not kill this man, it is not up to you to condemn him. He was sent to kill your husband in order to fulfill the prophecy set for you and your daughter. It was not my order that killed Malone but I did know about it and could do almost nothing to stop it."  
  
Veronica looked at her mother in horror. "Your people killed my husband?"   
  
The first Abigail ignored her daughter. "It is time to take your place as protector of the plateau. It is time for you to stay in Avalon."   
  
"How do you expect me to go after they killed Malone? How do you expect me to leave my children?"  
  
"It is your destiny, Veronica. I am sorry and I know how you feel. But it is time."   
  
Veronica numb and surrendered watched as her mother allowed her to see a vision of future. "Your friends and children will think you disappeared just as you thought your father and I did as a child."  
  
The explorers searched for months after Malone's death thinking Veronica may have been killed while searching for the murderer. Realizing that they may never find Veronica they vowed to make sure Thomas and Abigail wouldn't be alone as their mother was.   
  
Seven years later, an eleven-year-old Abby questions an aging Challenger about her vague parents and a seven-year-old Thomas calling Marguerite and Roxton "Mummy" and "Daddy".   
  
Soon, it flashes to nine years after that as a twenty-year-old Abby stands before the graves of Malone, her brother Thomas and her husband, making Abigail the last protector. ]  
  
The images that appeared around them disappear as quickly as they arrived with the storm vanishing as well. Veronica's eyes fluttered open, with a realization, "My mother sent me these visions so I can stop it from happening."   
  
A/N: More to come! 


	3. A Choiceless Choice

The Lost World  
  
The Protector's Husband  
  
Chapter 3: A Choiceless Choice  
  
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I had a bit of writer's block and a lot of school work. Geez, I though Senior year was suppose to be easy!  
  
[Watch out for changes.]  
  
Veronica leaped from her chair to find her husband peering at her lovingly with his light eyes fixed in a state of worry. "Have you seen Abby?" he said out of breath.  
  
"No, I put her down for a nap an hour ago." said Veronica standing up searching the nursery herself. "We just finished reading one of those bedtime stories you wrote for Thomas and Abby."  
  
Malone signed in frustration. "She must have managed to leave the tree house. I'm going to go look for her." the young father stated already leaving the room.   
  
"No, I'll get the others to help, you stay with Thomas." Veronica stated quickly touching Malone's shoulder and dashing in front of him.   
  
"Honey, I can find her on my own. I'll be back within the hour."   
  
"Ned, it's not safe."   
  
"Veronica-"  
  
"Please. I don't want the vision to come true." she whispered gently as she called for the others, leaving Malone with no other option but to agree.  
  
*~*  
  
"I guess its just you and me" Malone stated smiling at his son laying happily in his basinet that stood several feet away from Ned as he began to chop wood for the fire. "Your mother doesn't think that I can handle myself. No one does in fact, even though I spent a year and a half alone in the jungle…" He continued babbling to no one really but himself. Finally finishing, he blonde breathed heavily as he attempted to pick up the small child and the rather large piles of wood he had collected.   
  
Suddenly began to shake uncontrollably in raging fits of pain. Hurt, but not frightened Malone as he still shook figured it was just the usual spells that he got ever so often. Still, even minutes longer then normal Ned still convulsed on the ground, until finally it stopped. But, Malone was frozen unable to move anything but his face and unable to comfort his crying son.  
  
*~*  
  
Meanwhile, Challenger, Roxton, Marguerite and Veronica begin to search the darkening jungle for Abby. Frantic with worry, Veronica pushed the explorers to search every part of the forest. Finally, they come upon the bottom of a small cliff, that overlooked a small pound- a favorite of Abby's.   
  
"Dear God." Challenger mumbled quietly to himself as he saw the shape of a young child, laying inches from the bottom of the cliff.   
  
Still, as Roxton saw the image as well he reached the body before Veronica could even comprehend what was going on. Gently, Roxton picked what he now saw was a small girl. His face turned in sadness as he realized that it was his young niece. "It's Abby." he called, breaking Veronica's heart. Immediately, Roxton tried to bring oxygen into her lungs but it was to no avail. "She's gone." he devastated voice spoke.  
  
Challenger finally let go of Veronica whom he had been shielding from the horrific images of her child. Stunned, Marguerite now crying, reached out to hug Veronica as she stood for a minute and then rushed to Abby cradling the lifeless body in her arms.   
  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I thought I was helping but I did more damage then good." Abigail Layton walked quietly over to her daughter and granddaughter touching the blonde locks of the child and leaning down to whisper. "Hurry home."   
  
Before Veronica could ask any questions Abigail was gone. Confused and shocked Veronica now realized the truth. "Malone!" she yelled letting more tears fall onto the head of the cold girl.   
  
*~*  
  
"There's no need to cry Thomas Edward." Malone said calmly trying to smile. "Papa's fine." Though he could not feel his body he could feel every ounce of his life draining away, wishing his son did not have to see his father die.   
  
It only to moments for the explorers to return to the tree house, but by then there was nothing to be done. In vain, Challenger tried, to stop this unknown killer from spreading. Until finally, like Roxton, he realized there was nothing he could do.   
  
"I thought I saved you." His wife clasped his hand as Malone's eyes began to close. "I love you, Ned." she finally states while Malone sheds his last breath. Devastated and angry the young widow screamed with all the fiery that lay in her body.  
  
Crying, Abigail Layton appeared once more. "I'm sorry, Veronica. I thought I could change fate. It's time for you to come with me to Avalon."   
  
Veronica looked numb still looking at her husband, as the rest of the explorers look on in grief. "I won't leave Thomas." the mother responds now holding on to her son tightly.  
  
"You have to. It's your time. Then when he is old enough he will join us as protectors." Abigail continues as she reached out her hand to her daughter. "It is our destiny."   
  
  
  
Obediently, wanting desperately to question the Elders that took her daughter and husband Veronica turned giving the small boy with a kiss to his forehead to Marguerite gave in and took her mother's hand.  
  
* ~*  
  
"Veronica. Veronica." She stirred, awaken. Sleep didn't matter any longer to Veronica, even her mother's presence with her in Avalon couldn't save her from her grief. "What?" she called having no intention of leaving her bed until the Elders brought her family back.  
  
"It's time to wake up, honey." a distinct and cheerful voice called to her, mocking her.  
  
"Ned?" she whispered hopefully, turning over.   
  
"Who else would it be?" he kissed her, smiling "I'll go wake up Thomas and Abby."   
  
Veronica shook her head in disbelieve, but it was true, she was back in the treehouse, and in front of her stood her husband, eager as ever to go to their children; and has she had before Veronica's mother stood before her, undetectable to Malone.   
  
"You have seen what will happen. I was allowed to intervene as you saw before, but I made the timeline worse. The elders have allowed me to fix my mistake and send you back. I pray you can fix all of it. You only have one chance, Veronica. I hope you succeed." Abigail Layton, spoke with all the hope that she had.   
  
*~*  
  
A/N: This is the end, I hope you liked it! 


End file.
